Hines Ward (Korean name: 하인스 워드) is the American Football player who is half Korean, half black. This thread is to not only pimp him, but his cause and struggle to accept that he IS KOREAN. Sure, it is past Mother's Day but every day should be dedicated to the woman that gave you life...and Hines Ward knows how lucky he is to have a mother like Kim Young-hee

As a kid, he was ridiculed for what he looked like. He shunned his Korean roots and his mother until she opened up a can of whoop-ass and told him to recogonize. As the mother of mixed kid, she was shunned from Korea and forced to settle in the US. Hines shaped up and excelled in the college and pro ranks. He won the Super Bowl in 2006 and was named MVP. He went back to Korea and was honored as a hero. Today, he has a Hines Ward Helping Hands Foundation. Peep his official website for more info: http://www.mvp86.com

Watch this video, if it don't make you shed a tear - you need to check yo'self:[youtube=425,350]T84rXduuzaU[/youtube]

He tells bi-racial kids to embrace being themselves and their roots...basically I saw this story during this year's Super Bowl, wanted to make a thread but couldn't find the video then I got sidetracked. The Katie Couric version had the interview with his mom who to this day, still works at the school cafeteria.

Real inspirational story, even though I ain't bi-racial - he's doing great work for the kids.

Say what you want about his size, Hines is an all around reciever who can do it all and is the most physical reciever when it comes to blocking. He's not afraid to go inside and throw blocks on linebackers or even d-lineman.

Not only is he taking longer routes this year...Hines is going across the pond (for the third time) to inspire kids!!

Ward Inspires Bi-Racial Children From Korea

PITTSBURGH (KDKA)

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward has some special visitors in town this weekend as he is playing host to eight bi-racial children from Korea.

They're part of the Helping Hands Foundation that Ward started more than three years ago to end racism against bi-racial Koreans.

"There's nothing wrong with being bi-racial, of a mixed race," said Ward. "That's what I try to preach and tell them."

It's the third time the star Steeler has brought bi-racial Korean kids to Pittsburgh.

He teaches them to have hope and self-esteem and that it's okay to be bi-racial. And it looks like he's having some big success with the program.

"I came to America one year ago," said program participant Jamie Boyd. "I got my GED and I started college."

Boyd now goes to college in Spokane, Washington. It's an opportunity she probably wouldn't have had before Ward started his program.

"I found out that there's so many other people that care about us," she said. "And we could do it if we try."

Ward says he's trying to change attitudes in Korea about bi-racial people, and he may be having success.

"We just passed some laws that had mixed actually accepted into the military," he said. "For so long it was always - regardless of what race - they always believed in 100 percent pure race."

Ward vows to continue to use his celebrity on the football field to push for more reforms and more opportunities for the bi-racial kids of Korea.

The visiting children will be at Heinz Field on Sunday, cheering on the Steelers against the Minnesota Vikings.

Following the football game, they will head to Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and then New York City where they will see the Statue of Liberty and learn more about a country that is a racial and ethnic melting pot.

Ward's nomination came from Pearl S. Buck International Inc., which cited his work in Korea to bring influential Koreans to change the perception of the country's biracial population.

“Hines Ward changed the cultural landscape of Korea,” said Janet Mintzer, president and CEO of Pearl S. Buck International, said in a statement. “After Japanese invasions, Korea placed high value on being pure-blooded Koreans, creating prejudice of biracial people. As a successful biracial Korean-American, he returned to Korea, creating media attention which sparked a cultural shift. “

The winner of the sports categories for 2010 United Nations NGO Positive Peace Award will be announced in mid-December.

"This isn't how I wanted this chapter of my career to end. I did everything in my power to remain a Steeler and finish what I started here 14 years ago.

"I want to thank the organization, my teammates and coaches and everyone who made my run as a Steeler the best years of my life. To Mr. Rooney, thank you for allowing me to play for one of the greatest organizations in the world. To my fans and in particular, Steeler Nation, thank you for your support and all the great memories. I gave my heart and soul for you every down and I will always bleed black and gold."

Hope he lands on his feet somewhere COUGH EAGLES. Else he could join a boy band with SM.

I think Hines Ward should really retire. No sense in trying to impress anybody else and end up being a middle-aged bust (like some certain WRs). Sure there are teams that need WRs and could use a veteran like Ward but there's no point in signing him if he's only gonna get like 100-something receiving yards in 16 games. He should retire now and hope to get hired on as a position coach.

Ward got hooked up with the role by IronE Singleton, who played with Ward at Georgia and also plays the role of T-Dog on the show.

"A former Georgia teammate of mine is one of the stars of the show, and my agent thought it would be something fun and different for me to do," he told the Post-Gazette. NFL Films Presents also went behind the scenes with Hines Ward, detailing his transformation from NFL analyst to playing the undead.

"It was an amazing experience," Ward said. "Just being in makeup preparing me for my role was cool. I actually scared myself when I looked in the mirror for the first time after."